


Scenario Spotlight with Onev Valeria

by FemslashUniverse



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: A little preachy, F/F, Humor, J7 - Freeform, Romance, Silly, So many speeches, Truth Serum, b’elanna is the best ally, fake tv show, idk - Freeform, loose characterization, maury meets Caesar Flickerman (from hunger games), overdramatic, public confession, tried not to Chakotay bash too too much, what happens when you read a lot of different things at once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemslashUniverse/pseuds/FemslashUniverse
Summary: Scenario Spotlight is the most watched TV show of the planet. It’s host, Onev Valeria, is quite the showman. When an awful scenario brings out the Captain’s secrets, the show delves deep into the secrets of the three guests: Janeway, Seven, and Chakotay.Or: Kathryn tells 8 million people and the crew that she loves Seven... but so does Chakotay.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway & Seven of Nine, Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine, Seven - Relationship
Comments: 26
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

Part 1

Kathryn glared at the bloody Cardassian standing at least two feet higher than her. The small dungeon room was sleek white, nearly too bright to see. She held the archaic pistol in her hand, feeling its weight with its thick metal barrel and sturdy oak handle. 

“What is your choice?” The Cardissian spat. 

She glanced to her left where two guards stood on either side of her First Officer, his wrists bound with a pair of handcuffs, and a bit of blood dried over his top lip. To the opposite side, her Astrometrics officer was in a similar position, though her wrists were bound with chains wrapped three times over.

She fixed her jaw as she looked up at the sickening, scaly creature with a sneer. “I choose me.” 

Quickly, she turned the gun upwards, pressing the barrel under her chin and tilting it toward her brain. 

“Kathryn!” Seven exclaimed, her eyes wide. “ _Do not do this!”_

She gave a small, sad smile at her officer. 

“Do not let her do this!” Seven yelled across the room at the silent First Officer. He kept his head down, his eyes on the sleek white floor.

“Kathryn, this is not the way!” Seven continued. “ _I_ am the one you must kill! I am expendable! _You_ are not!” She struggled against her guards but they barely used any force to easily hold her back.

“Seven,” Kathryn whispered, “ _you_ are the reason we’ve gotten this far. _Voyager_ needs you and I need you to stay with them, get them home for me.” 

“No,” Seven growled. “I refuse! You will _kill me_!” 

Kathryn let out a quiet breath but kept her composure. “I want you to tell my m-mother and sister that I love them. They know about you, Seven. You have a place there. They’re your family.” 

“Kathryn, stop this!” Seven struggled again. She turned toward the tall Cardassian in charge. “Stop her! She is cheating. _I_ must die!” He seemed to hear her, but ignored her all the same. 

“Seven,” she repeated softly, gaining her officer’s attention once more. She could see the wild look in the ex-Borg’s blue eyes, just barely, through the water gathering in her own. “I want you to know…” she gulped down the tears, not allowing them to fall. “I’m in--in love with you. My darling Seven,” her voice broke. She gazed at the younger woman, taking a last look at what had never been, who she had loved for so long. “I love you, and I always will.” 

“Kathryn! Stop!” 

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and blocked out all the sounds around her. Needing to do it before she lost her nerve, she pulled the heavy trigger. 

“Kathryn!” Seven bellowed. 

The gun clicked. 

Frowning, Kathryn jammed the barrel against her skin harder and squeezed again. It clicked. She opened her eyes, startled and confused, and glued to the Cardassian. Before her very eyes, the leader and his guards vanished from the room. The handcuffs and chains around Chakotay and Seven’s wrists dissolved along with the guards. The door to the room flung open and a thin humanoid entered with a gigantic smile. Dressed in a purple suit with white, reptilian shoes, and a cloudy pink skin, he clapped happily. Followed in by two others, one held a camera and the other, a boom microphone. Though they were similarly pinkish, they wore all black and remained disengaged as they followed the clapping man. 

Kathryn remained perfectly still, a deep frown across her face. She couldn’t bear to look at Seven.

“That! That was one of the most _marvelous_ shows I have ever seen!” The purple suited man gushed. “The way you chose yourself over your friends! Oh Captain Janeway, you did say that humans were special. I’m sorry I doubted you!” He turned to the camera and shrugged. Then focusing on Chakotay, he shook his head tsking. 

“You, my friend. That wasn’t your best moment, was it?” He grimaced. Then, clapping once more, he turned toward Seven and bee-lined for her. 

“You, my dear, on the other hand. _Wow!_ The way you fought for your Captain. An officer willing to die for her Captain.” He put a hand to his chest and wiped away a non-existent tear. “Beautiful! And of course, there’s… the confession,” he spoke over her shoulder, directly into the camera.

“The fearless, starship Captain, confessing her secret love for her officer!” He twirled on foot and raised his arms for show. The sound of applause grew around them, and Kathryn looked around her, finding nothing but the four walls. 

He winked at the camera. “We have lots to discuss! This way, this way!” 

He put his arm around Kathryn’s shoulders and led her toward the exit. “Come along you two!” 

Seven tried to remain where she was, but she found that she turned and followed on the command. Frowning, she looked down to find collars around each wrist and ankle. An inner light was a muted green. Despite her efforts, she could not control where she walked. 

Glancing up, she focused her eyes on the back of the Captain, under the man’s arm. She narrowed her eyes at him, not completely sure why. The Captain was stiff under the man’s arm, moving mechanically. Not once had she glanced her way. Not since she pulled the trigger—twice.

Blinking against bright lights and a roar of applause, Kathryn was directed out onto a stage just down the hall from the prison. She was sat down on a hideous, uncomfortable green couch, on the far end closest to a host’s chair. Another person was placed a few inches away from her, and she felt one more as the couch cushions moved. 

She squinted and blinked against the lights, her eyes slowly adjusting. The more they did, the more she realized how large the room was. Rows and rows of similar looking humanoids clapped, cheered and whistled as the host strutted around and spoke directly into the camera once more. 

Why couldn’t she move? She felt so slow. Her mind had been crystal clear only a few moments ago, and now she was... lost.

She gulped as the room quieted and the host took his seat adjacent to her. He held a stack of white cards in his hands, and a mic was clipped to his suit by another pink humanoid in all black clothing. A white screen on a cart lay just across from them outside of the bright lights. Numbers appeared on it, counting down from 5. She was startled when it reached 1 by the loud music that played over the speakers. 

“Welcome back to Scenario Spotlight! I am your _beloved_ host,” the audience cooed and praised him, “Onevecha Valeria. As all of you know, we just witnessed one of the most,” he bit his lip, pretending to be heartfelt, “wonderful, beautiful exchanges that we’ve seen on this show for years.” A roar of applause. 

“Not only do we have our selfless space Captain,” cheers and whistles went around, “we have a love confession.” The audience oohed. “Unrequited? We’ll have to see!” They laughed. 

“And let’s not forget about our fearful, quiet First Officer!” Some boo’s went around while others shouted. “Now, now, let’s not be cruel.... yet!” More laughter rang. 

“What do you say? Shall we get into it?” The crowd screamed their affirmations and he danced over to his large seat. His people settled as he did, ready to get into the interviews. 

“Now,” he said seriously, “I’m sure that you’re confused, Captain.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him and caught the image of herself on one of the screens. 

“Yes,” he replied to himself, “I understand. We all understand, don’t we?” He asked the room and they responded with applause. “I assure you, you, and your officers, will begin to remember everything. It takes awhile for the chemicals to wear off.” 

She frowned, looking down into her own lap she realized her wrists had two purple bands around them with a white inner light along the center. Raising her wrists up, she turned to him. 

“Ah yes,” Onev smiled, and leaned toward the audience, “we don’t want to lose our stars, now do we?” 

The audience cheered and stomped their feet, obviously on-board. 

He leaned in toward the Captain, “I wouldn’t fight them,” he touched one of the bands, “they can be quite…. electrifying!” 

Roarous laughter and applause met them once more, and Kathyrn glanced around again at the audience. None of it made any sense. She felt like she was floating just outside of herself. She glanced down and found her wrist bands turned a deep shade of blue. 

The fog began to lift a little then, she remembered hints of things, but more than anything, she started to feel like herself again. She straightened her back, glaring at the host. 

He appeared amused, laughing along with his people. “What a pleasure it has been to have you and your officers here. We thank you for your willingness.” He smiled like a cat who ate the canary, not quite devious, but definitely slimy. 

“Now,” he shuffled through a few cards and then settled on one. “There are many things we can discuss here, Kathryn, is it all right if I call you Kathryn?” 

She didn’t respond and he nodded. “Thank you,” he said unironically. “But I think everyone here is wondering the exact same thing.” 

She waited, the room as silent as if it were empty, breaths held as every eye in the room watched her. She still hadn’t looked toward her officers, though she could see them in her peripheral vision. Even they watched her. Did they know what was going on? 

She gulped silently. “I’m—I’m not sure,” her voice hoarse, “what’s... going on.” 

Onev reached out his hand and squeezed hers gently, “it’s all right. Don’t worry, Kathryn.” 

His smile was somehow comforting, and for a moment she forgot all about the cameras and the audience, and what she had just done in the room down the hall. She closed her eyes. 

Softly, Onev continued, “now, what you did, Kathryn, was very brave. It was…” he released her hand and again wiped away a tear that was not there, “heart wrenching. When you pulled that trigger…” he shook his head. “Wow. It was… All of us were there with you.” 

She glimpsed one of the monitors as various audience members were shown wiping tears away or holding their hands to their chests. 

Onev noticed her watching the monitor and smiled, “do you know how many of us were right there with you, Kathryn?” 

She narrowed her eyes once more, but she couldn’t fight the impulse to answer. “No.” 

Puffing his chest out in pride, he grinned. “Scenario Spotlight is the number one show on Trepivis! We have 8.9 million viewers.” 

Her heart nearly dropped completely out of her as she grew wide-eyed. 

“Of course,” he grinned again, “after this, I think all the animals will start watching, too!” The audience laughed heartily with him. 

She had so many questions, but it was like her mouth was glued shut. She couldn’t verbalize anything, unless, she noticed, when he asked her a question. Curious if her theory was right, she waited patiently for him to continue with his next question. 

“Now, Kathryn,” he lowered his voice in seriousness again, “we all want to know, what were you thinking just before you pulled the trigger?” 

“Seven.” She closed her eyes. That was an honest answer, too honest. If she could respond to his questions, surely she could lie if she tried harder. 

The entire audience ‘awed’ at her answer, to her dislike. 

Onev shook his head, holding his cards to his chest, but careful about leaving his mic untouched. A total fake, Kathryn thought, he didn’t care one way or another about her or what he was asking her to divulge. 

“What about her?” 

Kathryn quickly bit down on her bottom lip, obviously struggling to keep silent. 

“Uh oh!” Onev smiled, “it looks like it’s time for some red juice!” 

The audience cheered, nearly all raising to their feet, some jumping up and down. Onev rose from his seat and made a dramatic walk over to a mini stage to the left of them. A red spotlight shone overhead as he stood behind a narrow, waist-high container. 

“Today may be your day to be in the--” 

“Spotlight!” the audience finished for him. 

Taking his time to titillate the clamoring crowd, he finally sent his hand down through white flaps at the top of the smooth container. The audience silenced as he pulled out a small white ticket. The cameras zoomed in to him as he held the ticket up beside his face, low enough to make sure the camera had a good angle on him. 

He broke the quiet with a loud, “zero!” 

Some disappointed audience members sat down or grumbled, but many remained standing. 

“Two!” 

More went down. 

“Five!” 

Only a handful remained, scattered across the room, the cameras panning across them and cutting back and forth with Onev. 

“Two!” 

Three remained standing. The room bloated in anticipation, ready to burst. 

Onev smiled as he looked directly into the camera once more. “Seven.” 

A scream rang through the room and the audience jumped to their feet once more in cheers. Running down the aisle, one rather young humanoid made his way to the mini stage. He was out of breath as he took his place beside Onev. 

Kathryn zoned out as he asked what the man’s name was. She watched them talking briefly, but her mind was far from focused. _What was the last thing you thought of before you pulled the trigger? Seven._ She wasn’t even sure that was really true until she had said it, and then she knew she couldn’t banish her feelings any longer. 

She had thought of Seven. 

Not just of her in the moment, pleading for her to stop, but of their entire relationship. The day she arrived on board. The moment she hugged her in the brig. The way Seven had watched her from afar, had protected her and the ship from the Borg. 

Not just that, but the way she moved. The way she protected her own heart under an icy demeanor. How she was with Naomi. What she would say, the surprising and endearing. The way Kathryn herself had felt when they sat beside each other in DaVinci’s room. The firelight, the warmth. How she had wanted to touch her cheek, and press her lips to Seven’s in that moment. 

The nights she had a few too many drinks so she could sleep, instead finding herself even more open to letting her thoughts turn into fantasies. The ship returning home. Meeting Seven on Earth in an alternate reality. Winning Seven’s love in some act of heroism. 

And the less respectable fantasies. The ones where Seven took what she wanted from her, and where Kathryn didn’t just let her, she hungered desperately to be taken. Ones where the sexy blonde would claim her everywhere they went, whenever she could. 

Blood flooded her cheeks, beet red. How she’d pined for her—to have Seven lay beside her in bed and wrap her arms around her. Smell her hair. Press light kisses to her skin. Simply hold her.

She needed to get a grip. She needed to shake these feelings away. 

Glancing down at her wrist guards, she found the color had turned reddish, redder by the second. Onev was back in his seat beside her, and she jumped. Another humanoid powdered his cheeks before the numbers on the white screen counted down once more. 

“Welcome back to Scenario Spotlight! We’re here with our lovely space Captain, Kathryn Janeway. To her left, her First Officer, Chakotay, and on the end, her Astrometrics Officer, Seven of Nine. As you can see, Kathryn has just been red juiced.” The cameras panned to her wrist guards and she frowned at Onev. 

“Now that we’re all juiced up, let's get back to it!” He turned to her, lowering his voice into his ‘serious’ one. “Now, we left off speaking about your final thoughts before you pulled the trigger. You said, ‘Seven,’ your officer over there, was your final thought. Now, tell us, Kathryn, what was it you were thinking about Seven?” 

“Everything.” The answer came out before she could even think to stop it. 

Unable to fight the induced purge of her thoughts, she continued, “every single thing. Her heart. Her beauty, not just of her body. Everything about her is beauty. Her flaws are beauty. Her Borg infusion is beauty… The things I wish I could do with her. Making love to her. Showing her Earth. Taking her to meet my mother and sister. They’ll love her. I want to give her what was taken from her, whatever she needs. I thought about… all of it.” 

She slammed her eyes shut, feeling her face filling with blood once more, but the ‘juice’ they had used was strong, turning off her ability to hold back anything, and her mouth continued, speaking out every thought. “I thought about how much she’s changed over the years, and how very proud I am of her.” Opening her eyes, she turned to Onev, speaking softly, “she’s the most incredible person I’ve ever known. There’s no one else I could ever love.” 

Onev held her attention, and the audiences, who were dead silent. 

After a few moments, he leaned in, speaking just as softly, “not even your First Officer?” 

“My First Officer?” she frowned. 

“Yes,” Onev laughed and waved her off to the camera. His audience laughed with him, though not cruelly. He leaned forward to address Chakotay sitting beside her. 

“Sorry, buddy,” he smiled to the camera, “you can’t win them all.” More laughter.

Kathryn leaned back against the couch, keeping her eyes focused on her hands in her lap while Onev began questioning Chakotay beside her. 

“Do you love your Captain, Chakotay?” 

For the first time since before the incident in the prison room, he looked up and met someone’s eyes. “No.” 

Kathryn let out a relieved sigh, thankful _that_ possible issue had been averted. At least she didn’t have to deal with that mess. 

“I see,” Onev nodded. “Is there someone else? Is that why you didn’t offer yourself to be killed, like Seven did?” 

Chakotay patted his knee with his own hand. “Yes.” 

“Oh! Well, do tell us! Let’s encourage him, everyone!” 

The audience applauded, prompting him to share his story. 

Onev smiled with the same deceptively earnest one that had won Kathryn over, if only temporarily. 

He bowed his head once more. “Seven.” 

Gasps went around the warehouse, around the planet, as 8 million people collectively watched in shock.

Kathryn didn’t mind any of the gasps, she wasn’t even phased by it. She simply turned her head to look at him. She knew every little movement, every moment, was being shown live all around the planet, analyzed and dissected, and yet, she couldn’t help herself. The ‘red juice’ was still thick in her bloodstream. 

“You don’t even like her,” she said almost as a growl. 

Chakotay turned to her quickly. “What?” 

“I said, you don’t even like her. You never have. You wanted to leave her behind when she sacrificed herself for Voyager, for _all_ of us. Tuvok has reported to me many incidents where crewmembers were uncomfortable with the things they heard _you_ say about her. Every time something goes wrong, you blame her.” 

He glared at her and she rose to her feet. 

“What’s wrong with you?” she bit with disgust. 

“Don’t you dare judge me, _Kathryn._ ” He also stood, turning to face her, but keeping a few feet of distance between them. “You think _I’m_ a problem on board? The Captain of our little crew got us stuck out in the middle of nowhere!” his voice was nearly shrill as he threw his hands in the air. “You are the reason none of us will ever see our families again. _You_ , Kathryn. You’re the reason we’ll all die in the middle of the Delta quadrant! And then some Borg comes along. And you—you—”

“What?” she asked darkly through her teeth, hands on her hips.

He let out a breath, sneering at her. “You’re a hypocrite. You tell us we have to keep all the precious Starfleet ideals to maintain order, and then you go around lusting after your crewmember!” 

“I have never lusted, _Commander_.” 

He scoffed. “You know what, Kathryn,” he walked over to her, standing right in her face. He lowered his mouth slightly, annoyed that she wouldn’t flinch as he towered over her. “You are a piece of—” 

His voice came to a squeaking stop. 

Kathryn frowned at him, looking back and forth into his eyes as he stared wide-eyed, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“That is enough.” 

She watched as he was moved away from her and was tossed onto the other end of the couch. He gasped and coughed as he regained his breath. Seven stood in front of Kathryn, but found the redhead still wouldn’t look her in the eyes. 

Deciding to wait, she locked her jaw and watched the Captain with a scowl. 

Onev carefully broke into the scene, he and the audience forgotten amidst the drama. He put a hand gently to Kathryn’s shoulder, slightly tilting her toward one of the cameras, while making it look like he wanted her to better face Seven. 

“Kathryn,” he said softly. “I think she wants you to look at her.” 

Kathryn didn’t acknowledge him. She didn’t turn, she didn’t look. She couldn’t. Her eyes remained locked on a piece of tape on the stage. The things she’d said right in front of Seven, to an entire planet. What a mess. But, underneath, she knew none of that mattered as much as the possibility for rejection or _hate_ that Seven would most likely harbor toward her. Her mentor had secretly loved her for so long. Wrong. Her mother figure wished for a romantic relationship? Sick. Her Captain imagined making love with her? Disturbing. Kathryn ‘lusted’ surely, as the Commander had put it. It was unforgivable. 

She heard a quiet scoff, unsure who it came from. Seven, herself, or Chakotay? 

“I require rest,” Seven said to Onev. 

He raised his eyebrows, unsure what to say in response, or what she was getting at. She simply turned on her heel and began walking toward the exit. Onev waved over a few guards to follow her and escort her to her temporary quarters. 

He glanced at Kathryn, who remained frozen, and the first Officer, who stayed on the end of the couch touching his neck. Turning to the camera, the host spoke softly. “What a day for our guests.” 

He moved down a stair, off the main stage and closer to the audience. All the cameras faced him from different positions with the two remaining guests on stage behind him. 

“It looks like there’s a lot to unpack here, doesn’t it?” 

The audience applauded and nodded seriously. 

“Please join us tomorrow where we will continue our conversation with Captain Kathryn Janeway, her First Officer Chakotay, and her Astrometrics Officer, Seven of Nine. I’m Onevecha Valeria and this is Scenario Spotlight. See you soon.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

_“Everything,”_ the Captain said. 

_Voyager_ was silent except for the screens playing Scenario Spotlight in every room. Some watched together on the holodeck, others in the mess hall or their private quarters. Working departments paused their maintenance to watch the screens on their consoles. Even the bridge had ceased all activity as they watched the large view screen.

The Captain’s voice echoed through the stilled halls and quiet corners of the ship. _“Every single thing. Her heart. Her beauty, not just of her body. Everything about her is beauty. Her flaws are beauty. Her Borg infusion is beauty…”_

Tom and B’Elanna shared looks with their group in the holodeck as their Captain continued. Difficult to watch, B’Elanna had turned away, though she continued to listen. 

_“The things I wish I could do with her. Making love to her. Showing her Earth. Taking her to meet my mother and sister….”_

In the ready room, Tuvok found it similarly difficult to watch the console screen. The Captain had always kept her privacy about her personal life. The crew and their journey home was first, last and everything in between. But being humans, Tuvok knew how they were. They could not separate things completely in their minds or hearts. The Captain had tried to do the impossible, succeeding many times over the years. This particular, impossible task however, hiding her deepest secrets, was failing horribly in a big way. 

_“...I want to give her what was taken from her, whatever she needs. I thought about… all of it.”_

Kathryn’s rough yet somewhat nasally voice was as familiar to the ship as water to the ocean. On screen, one of the cameras pulled into Seven’s expression. Another difficult reaction to watch. Yet no one on board could now look away. She had always been icy, guarded with her thoughts, and if she had depth to her feelings, those too. But now, all of a sudden, many of _Voyager’s_ crew saw the pure emotion behind her slight frown and shifting eyes. Every other muscle was stiff. Everything else controlled. No sign of flight or fight, only freeze. 

B’Elanna could see how far the emotion went. She’d watched the ex-Borg long enough to know her tells. Tuvok could _see_ her. Neelix could feel her. Naomi cried for her with her mother’s arm around her. 

None could tell exactly how Seven felt, only that she was processing what she was hearing, neither happy nor sad or angry.

The Captain’s voice was soft, almost a whisper. 

_“...she’s the most incredible person I’ve ever known. There’s no one else I could ever love.”_

  
B’Elanna exited the holodeck and booked it across the ship, moving with anger in every step with Tom trying to keep up behind her. She slammed her hand against the door of the turbolift after it closed. 

He knew better than to ask any questions. He followed and supported her silently. The turbolift doors opened and B’Elanna moved across the bridge, ignoring everyone, glued to the view screen. She didn’t ring for access to the ready room, instead walking straight in. 

She eyed Tuvok at the desk and walked right to him, Tom appearing at her side.

“Lieutenant Torres,” Tuvok said. 

“What the hell?” 

He quirked a brow while Tom grimaced.

She gripped the desktop tightly, only momentarily worried that she’d snap off a piece or cut her hand. “We can’t let this keep going!” 

Tilting his head, he tried to figure out her thinking. 

“The Captain will be horrified by this, if she isn’t already. We can’t let it keep going on.” 

_“Don’t you dare judge me, Kathryn.”_

They all looked to Tuvok’s screen and found Chakotay rising to his feet. He continued on, _“You think I’m a problem on board? The Captain of our little crew got us stuck out in the middle of nowhere!”_

B’Elanna shook her head, this was very quickly growing worse. Tuvok, rather surprised, for a Vulcan, watched on. 

_“...You’re the reason we’ll all die in the middle of the Delta quadrant! And then some Borg comes along. And you—you—”_

_“What?” The Captain growled._

“Tuvok—we have to get them out of there.” 

“We cannot do that, Lieutenant.” 

“Why the hell not?!” 

_“I have never lusted, Commander.” The Captain bit._

“Captain Janeway was clear about the contract between her and the Velodians.” 

“I don’t think she thought _this_ was a possibility!” 

Chakotay’s voice suddenly came to a squeaking stop. They turned to the screen once more. The Captain watched him, standing still and obviously confused. 

_“That is enough,” Seven decided._

Painful to watch, nearly every soul on board witnessed their Captain refuse to look at Seven of Nine, keeping her head and eyes down. The woman who had stood up to some of the most nefarious species in the quadrant, on numerous occasions, couldn’t look someone in the eye she just claimed to love. 

Naomi turned to her mother, eyes still watery. “Why won’t she talk to Seven?” 

Her mother shook her head, “it’s complicated, hun.” 

“No it isn’t,” she argued, turning back to the screen with a scowl.

Sam couldn’t disagree.

_“I require rest,” Seven said._

“At least someone’s thinking.” B’Elanna breathed as Seven walked off the stage and out of sight.

_“What a day for our guests.”_

“I don’t like this asshole,” she glared. 

_“It looks like there’s a lot to unpack here, doesn’t it?” The host spoke to the camera._

_The audience applauded and nodded seriously._

_“Please join us tomorrow where we will continue our conversation with Captain Kathryn Janeway, her First Officer Chakotay, and her Astrometrics Officer, Seven of Nine. I’m Onevecha Valeria and this is Scenario Spotlight. See you soon.”_

Across the ship, the consoles were switched off as another show began. Silence hung in recycled air. No one was sure what to say. Typically a jokester would offer up something to break the tension, but even Tom had grown solemn. 

“We can’t let this keep going,” B’Elanna said once more. “It’s not right. We all know Kathryn likes her privacy. We have to stop this. We’ve got to beam them up to the ship.” Though she wanted to demand it, she waited for Tuvok’s decision.

He put his fingers to his chin as he thought over the situation. Finally, he shook his head. “I am sorry, Lieutenant, but as I said, the Captain was clear. The Velodians have agreed to provide us with a generous amount of dilithium, as well as many organic foods, and a piece of technology that you yourself said had the potential of utilizing the slip-stream in intervals. These are too important to the Captain.” 

“I said it had a _slight_ potential of _maybe_ using the slip-stream! That’s even if we can convert it to our system! Tuvok, she didn’t think _this_ was going to be what would happen! They said they’d temporarily clear their memories and put them into a situation to see how they respond. They never said it would be—!” She gestured toward the console screen.

He turned to Tom, “please report to your station, Mr. Paris.” 

“Right.” He shifted looking between the two before bumbling his way out of the ready room. 

“Please sit down,” Tuvok said. B’Elanna followed direction with a roll of her eyes. 

“The Captain, myself, Commander Chakotay and Seven of Nine were made aware of past shows in which other guests have been put in similar situations. The Velodian’s were quite clear that the scenarios had a way of bringing out emotions and uncomfortable subjects. While danger would appear to be present to the ‘guests,’ it would in fact be fake, and cause no true harm.” 

“This is causing harm.” 

“That is debatable. What is not debatable is the contract. The Captain, Chakotay and Seven were made aware of the possibilities, and all three signed of their own accord. As long as there is no bodily harm, the contract is still active. If we’re to leave now, everything that has been said will be for nothing.” 

“Goddamnit!” She kicked the desk from her seat. 

He pursed his lips slightly. 

“Look,” she pulled the chair close and leaned on her arms against the desk, “I’m telling you right now, this isn’t going to end well. You know,” she paused, looking into his eyes deeply, “as well as I do, how stubborn those women are.”

He eyed her carefully, not denying nor agreeing. 

“And just like me, you know that Kathryn has felt this way for a long time.” She waited, seeing if he would respond, but wasn’t surprised when he didn’t. “And you know as well as I do that a lot of the crew still don’t trust Seven. What do you think is going to happen when they get back on board?” She kept her voice low, exasperated as she was, “Chakotay just accused her of not being impartial!” 

“Do you believe… the Commander would attempt to commandeer the ship?”

She took a deep breath, leaning back in the chair. “I don’t know. But, things are already rocky right now. The last few months have been brutal.”

He nodded. They had in fact been, as she aptly described, ‘brutal.’ There was no denying that. 

“I don’t think it’d be easy if he wanted to take the ship… but I think it’s possible. And if he takes over,” she shook her head, “you know just as much as I do how much of a disaster that’d be. Even if he just tried to take over… the crew is already on edge. He’s the one who’s built a rapport with everyone. He lets them in and they know, or think they know, who he is. Kathryn doesn’t do that. And she’s like the strict parent of the two. She’s the bad guy when she makes the decisions that are for the good of the ship, not the easy ones.”

Tuvok also leaned back in the chair, fingers resting under his chin once more. She’d made a good case. Her fears weren’t unfounded. Though he was confident the security teams would follow his directive, and his loyalty had always been with Kathryn. And, the Captain had been explicit with him before they beamed down. She had expressed how important it was to collect the dilithium and organic foods, and especially the technology. 

Coming to a decision, he spoke, “the contract does not say we can’t send a crew member to assist them. Only that we cannot remove them until the contract is fulfilled.” 

B’Elanna frowned. “What does that mean?” She asked, unsettled by his expression.  
  


~~~~~

  
  
  


“Get your goddamn hands off me,” she growled. 

“Now, now, what’s this?” Onev came down the white hallway to the very end. Three guards, one on each side and one behind, surrounded her. “Who are you?” 

She rolled her eyes. She knew who he was. “I’m here to see Seven.” 

“You’re from _Voyager_?” 

“Yeah.” 

“This is a breach of contract! No one is to interfere—”

“The contract says none of your ‘guests’ can leave. It doesn’t say anything about one of us coming to visit them.” 

“You’re twisting the words!” Onev said incredulously. 

“All right,” B’Elanna crossed her arms, “if the contract is breached, I’ll just gather up my crew and we’ll be on our way.” 

“Now, now, let’s not be hasty,” Onev smiled. “You just want to talk with Seven.” 

She rolled her eyes. Nothing a little threatening couldn’t fix. 

He went to wrap an arm around her shoulder and desisted when she gave him a warning glare. “Right this way.” 

They walked down the hall, two guards following behind. “You know, our chemical formulas are powerful. If you’re here to coach or warn your friend, it won’t do any good.” 

She glanced his way, her eyes narrowed. “You’re quite the slimeball, aren’t you.” 

He laughed, “you’re fun! Would you like to be on tomorrow’s show? We’d love to have you.” 

“No, thanks,” she nearly growled. 

“Too bad. Well, here we are.” They stopped in front of a white door with a painted black character, shaped like a ‘b’ superimposed with a ‘q’. “Our friends,” he gestured behind them to the guards, “we’ll stay out here until you’re finished. I do hope you enjoy your short stay.” 

He smiled and walked off, leaving her standing amidst four guards, hers and the two beside Seven’s door. She noted the weapons tucked in at their sides, though they had an almost toy-like quality. They were far too lax with their security as it was, but she’d promised she wouldn’t do anything rash, for the sake of ‘everyone’ as Tuvok had put it. 

She knocked on the door. “Seven? It’s B’Elanna.” 

The door unlocked and opened to reveal Seven, red eyed, back slumped. 

“God!” She pushed in and shut the door behind her, locking it. “Are you all right?” She moved the blonde to the small two-seater couch in her room. 

Seven put her elbows on her knees and covered her face. “Yes.” 

She shook her head. “Not your best lie. Come on.” She tugged away her hands so she could look at the ex-Borg. Glancing around the room, she caught sight of a box with tissues and grabbed one for her. 

The confused look told her Seven was new to the activity of crying. “You wipe your face and eyes with it.” 

“Oh,” was the soft response. 

She took her seat beside Seven as the blonde cleaned herself up. After a few moments, Seven turned to her with one of the saddest expressions B’Elanna had ever seen. It almost made her chuckle, but none of it was a laughing matter. That was obvious. 

“Rough day, huh?” 

Seven frowned, nodding. “Why are you here, Lieutenant Torres?” 

She shot her legs out and rested them on the small coffee table, leaning back against the couch. “Tuvok sent me.” 

As if it had just occurred to her, Seven grew wide-eyed. “Did the crew…” 

“Sorry, _chica_.” 

Seven let out a slow, long breath. 

“Are we returning to the ship?” 

B’Elanna clicked her tongue. “No, unfortunately. Tuvok said you all knew what you were signing up for, and since no one has gotten “hurt,” he thinks the Captain would want you guys to finish this.” 

“I see.” She didn’t, though. “Why then are you here?” 

B’Elanna liked that the ex-Borg got down to business. It made things easier, or at least quicker. “We’re a little worried about what could happen based on this whole mess.” 

“Such as?” 

“This is between you and I. Not even the Captain knows this.” 

“Perhaps you should not tell me, then, as they give us chemical formulas that make it impossible to regulate what one says.” 

“Normally I’d agree, but this is too important.” 

Seven contemplated it. “Perhaps only elude to it, then.” 

She nodded. “All right. There’s rumors going around, like usual. But because of how all of this is playing out… some of those rumors might have a chance at becoming true. Bad news for _Voyager_.” 

“I see. And it involves what was… revealed today?” 

“Maybe,” B’Elanna offered, trying to elude as requested. “There’s a possibility in a… power shift.” 

Seven went wide-eyed once more. Trying to temper her visceral reaction, heart racing, she continued carefully, “and this ‘shift’ could possibly commence due to what may result here?” 

B’Elanna nodded apologetically. She watched Seven as the blonde sat perfectly still, just as she had on stage. Her way of showing nothing on the outside by stiffening all of her muscles. 

“You were crying,” she offered quietly. 

Seven breathed. “Yes.” 

“I didn’t know you could cry.” 

She turned to B’Elanna, “neither did I.” 

“Wanna talk about it?” 

“I do not see a reason to converse about my history with crying.” 

B’Elanna laughed. “I meant about _why_ you’re crying.” 

“Oh… I… I’m unsure you would want to hear my thoughts.” 

“Well, I’m telling you right now that I do. And look,” she straightened up on the couch, “I’m going to tell you what I think either way. If you’re looking for an objective view, I’m your half-Klingon, half-human.” She gave her a smile much like the Captain’s.

“Yes.” She thought about it, “I would like to share.” 

B’Elanna nodded as Seven rose from the couch and paced back and forth on the other side of the coffee table. 

“I do not know how to proceed.”

“Just tell me what you’re thinking.” 

“No, I do not know how to proceed with the situation.” 

“Oh, gotcha. Well, I mean, that was quite the show. Do you feel _that way_ about either of them?” 

“Why does that matter?” 

“It matters a helluva lot.” 

“You are wrong, B’Elanna.” She paused, looking to see if it was okay to call her by her first name. B’Elanna gestured for her to continue. “Even if I had feelings for either Commander Chakotay or the Captain, they would be unrequited.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense. They both just said, to the whole planet, that they both love you.” 

“Yes,” she said hesitantly before continuing on in her regular Borg way, “however, neither would be able to successfully act upon their feelings, nor would I. It is against regulations.” 

B’Elanna barked a loud laugh. “You crack me up, Seven. No one cares about regulations.” 

“That is untrue,” she stopped pacing and glared. “The Captain continually repeats how important the regulations are.” 

“Yeah, but how many times have we broken those?” 

“Only when it has been necessary. This is not ‘necessary.’” 

“I disagree,” B’Elanna looked over a bowl of fruit on the coffee table, grabbing something resembling a green apple. She wiped it off on her sleeve and took a hesitant bite. Appreciative of the sweet fruit, she took a large bite of it. Crunching, she leaned back again. “I may only be half-human, Seven, but let me tell you. Most humanoids crave companionship. Not always the same kinds, not always romantic. But many do. Take me. I would never have hooked up with Tom, or anyone like Tom, if I were still fighting with the Maquis. Hell, I’d probably be dead by now. But things change, and people right along with it. Do you get lonely, Seven?” 

She eyed the floor. 

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Most of us do. That’s why people tend to pair up. I may sleep with Tom, but I have friends on _Voyager_ , too.” 

Seven gave her a double look. “You sleep with Tom?” She whispered. 

B’Elanna chuckled. “Yeah, a lot. He keeps up... barely.” 

Coming around the coffee table, the blonde sat beside the fruit bowl and faced B’Elanna intensely. “What do you feel when you do that?” 

“Seven!” B’Elanna laughed. “That’s kind of personal.” 

“I apologize.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, look. Have you ever kissed anyone?” 

“Yes.”

“Who?!” 

“In the holodeck. I was… curious.”

She nodded, “I get it. But it’s different when it’s with a real person.” 

“Yes, I assumed so. I found it to be quite… uneventful.” Silence permeated the space.

“This is a damn good apple, or whatever it is,” B’Elanna commented as she took another big bite. 

Seven built up her courage to ask what she’d been curious about since the engineer showed up. “B’Elanna?” 

“Yeah?” She looked up at her. She seemed smaller than she’d ever seen the 6 foot Borg.

“Who would you choose?” 

“You mean, between Chakotay and Janeway?” 

“Yes.” 

“Oh, damn, Seven. I don’t know. Hmm.” She set the apple core on the table, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. “I think I’d pick whoever made me feel the most.” 

“Explain.” 

“Tom drives me nuts. He’s annoying, and he pesters me and everyone else, and he’s a total gossip. But, honestly Seven, I love him. And he loves me. You know, maybe someone like Harry would be ‘better’ for me. He’s not all those annoying things. He’s really sweet. ...But, he doesn’t make me _feel_ the same way as Tom. I love Harry as a friend, but I don’t love him romantically. He doesn’t ignite those sparks.”

Seven nodded to herself. “You crave excitement.” 

“Yes and no. I mean, hell yeah,” she grinned. “But it’s not just that.” 

“I don’t understand.” 

B’Elanna sat up straight on the couch, a bit annoyed. The Borg was being dense, but whether or not it was on purpose she knew she’d need to show her what she meant. She decidedly leaned forward, directly in front of Seven, put her hands on her shoulders and closed the space between them. Pressing her lips to Seven, she kissed her chastely for a few moments. She pulled away finally, wiping her mouth, waiting for Seven’s reaction. 

“I—you—why—explain yourself,” Seven demanded. 

B’Elanna laughed. “Just a bit of show and tell.” 

“I don’t understand!” 

She let out a soft breath, knowing she was pushing Seven to her limit. It was a big day for the ex-Borg. “What did you feel? Emotionally.” 

“I… it was better than the holocharacter.” 

“Well, thanks,” B’Elanna laughed. “Did your heart race?” 

She put a hand over her heart, knowing full well it wasn’t necessary to do so. “No.” 

“Do you feel like kissing me again?” 

“No.” 

“Ouch,” B’Elanna winked, “did you think of someone else?” 

Seven looked down, obviously unsure how that would go over with her. 

“It’s all right, Seven. Whoever it was that you thought of—they might be the one who gives you those sparks.”

She met her brown eyes as B’Elanna grabbed another piece of fruit and sat back on the sofa. 

“Yes,” Seven said. “I believe you are correct.” 

“Is that person one of the two people from the show today?” 

“Yes,” she sighed. 

B’Elanna nodded. No matter how badly she wanted to know which it was, she bit back her curiosity, for Seven’s sake. The ex-Borg looked heartbreakingly conflicted, nearly on the edge of crying again. She shut her eyes for a moment, realizing what she was about to do. 

“Listen to me,” B’Elanna waited for her to meet her eyes. “Forget what I said before.” 

“What?” 

“What I said about the power shift. Ignore that, it doesn’t matter. You are part of the crew, our family. I’ve been a real jerk to you in the past, but that stops now. I know you know people talk about you, and they don’t always say nice things. But you deserve to be happy, Seven. You deserve to have friends, and a partner, if you want one. You’re important. No one should have to sacrifice themselves for the ship, and I know we all do it, but this isn’t one of those times for you. What Kathryn said earlier was right—you’ve saved us from the Borg, you’ve charted out our trail home. You’ve done your part, even with everyone being an asshole. We’ll figure out whatever happens tomorrow, no matter what it is. And I’m telling you right now, if I hear anyone on board say one negative thing about you, I’ll remind them how threatening a Klingon can be.” 

A small smile crossed Seven’s features. “Even a half-Klingon.” 

“Even more so,” B’Elanna winked. “Look, tomorrow is probably going to be a helluva show. No one should be made to say things they aren’t ready or willing to say. It’s wrong. But, for these people, that seems to be what they want. And even though that ‘juice’ they use will probably get you to tell everyone everything you think, you still have a choice about what happens next.” 

Seven tilted her head, listening closely. 

“It doesn’t matter if you tell the world who you may love, or anything else. You get to choose what happens after. If you’re not ready to talk to them, or anyone, you’re not ready. If you love them but don’t want to be with them, you get to make that decision. If you want to sleep with a hundred different people and still pursue a relationship with them, that’s cool, too. You’re not in the Borg collective any more. You get to make the choices. If you’re honest, there’s nothing anyone can say or do to hurt you. And I swear, if anyone or either of them tries anything even slightly messed up, Commander or Captain, I’ll break their legs.” 

Seven smiled at the warm sentiment from her violent friend.

“ _You_ get to decide for yourself.” 

“...and, if I don’t know?” 

B’Elanna nodded. “Then you get to choose how and when you’re ready to explore what you want.” 

“You are a kind person, B’Elanna.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t get all soft on me now, Ice Queen.” She smiled. 

Seven enjoyed the light teasing, now that she knew they were friends. 

“Anytime you need or want to talk, or shoot around ideas, or just complain, I’m here. You know where to find me.” 

“The same goes for you,” Seven replied. 

“Oh, you better be careful about that, blondie. I’ll chew your ear off.” 

Seven frowned, then realized it was another one of her charming, if not odd, phrases. “My ear… will always be chewable?” 

B’Elanna laughed hard, “nice.” 

“Thank you, B’Elanna.” 

The brunette winked. “Anytime, blondie. Good luck tomorrow.” 

“Thank you,” she sighed. 

“Try to get some rest. Turn your brain off for awhile. What happens tomorrow, happens tomorrow. No matter what, we’ll be on _Voyager_ again and headed for Earth. Don’t think I won’t come after you if you get any weird ideas about running off.” 

Seven smiled once more and rose as B’Elanna did. She walked with her to the door, when B’Elanna turned toward her. 

“Are you going to kiss me again, Lieutenant?” 

B’Elanna snorted. “Just a hug.” She wrapped her arms around the Borg roughly and patted her back a few times before moving away. 

“B’Elanna?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Will you please be there tomorrow, where I can see you?” 

“You want _me_ there?” 

“I believe I will need your strength.” 

“Okay, blondie. I’ll be right up front.” 

“Thank you.” 

B’Elanna opened the door to the four guards. “Ah, my tail is here. Come along, boys.” The guards followed her as she moved down the hall. 

Seven leaned out of the room, watching her leave, talking to her guards loudly in the empty hall. Tomorrow would be a long day. Rest was what B’Elanna suggested. She moved to the tiny bedroom just off of the living area. Laying out on her back, she sighed again, something she was doing more and more. 

How else could she spend this day other than trying to sleep for the first time?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading < 3

Part 3

  
  
  


The bright lights nearly seared her skin while the six large cameras caught every angle of her. Sitting on a single chair adjacent to Onev’s, Seven remained poised. Her hands rested in her lap, her facial expression neutral, her ankles crossed. Onev was being powdered once more and then the countdown on the white monitor reached 1. 

“Welcome back to Scenario Spotlight! I’m your host, Onevecha Valeria. What a day yesterday was!” The audience clapped, cheered, and whistled. “We’re joined today by Seven of Nine, _the_ Astrometrics officer. Hello Seven, how are you?” 

Her jaw stiffened. She turned to him with a subtle glare. “Not well.” 

“Oh! I’m sorry to hear that,” he said in his fake concerned tone. “Tell us why you’re upset.” 

“Is it not obvious?” 

He laughed, turning to the audience, “no one ever said the Borg were polite!” 

“Well, Seven, I can take a guess. Yesterday you, and all of us, learned that two of your high-ranking crew mates are in love with you. I assume that would be upsetting.” 

Seven eyed him. “Yes,” she said, slightly bowing her head to her lap. 

“How did that feel hearing that from your officers?” 

Seven took a hard swallow and glanced up. B’Elanna sat in the front row, leaning over a low wall, giving Seven her full attention. She nodded sadly. Seven took a breath. 

“Conflicted.” 

Onev waited a moment, but nothing more came. He laughed. “You have a way with words!” The audience laughed. “ _What_ are you conflicted about?” It was like pulling teeth. 

“It is inappropriate for both officers. If it were not for your show, they would not have disclosed the information they did.” 

“Well thank you!” Onev smiled and the audience clapped. “We strive to be a transformative show. Helping people in their personal lives.” 

Seven scoffed quietly, which was covered by the audience's applause, though not unnoticed by Onev. 

“How are you feeling about what your Captain Janeway said?” 

“Angry.” 

He nodded, taking a sharp breath to cover his annoyance. 

“Is that how you feel toward Commander Chakotay as well?” 

She thought about it for a moment, a small frown crossing her features. “No.” 

He looked through a few cards in his hand before letting the camera focus on both of them for dramatic effect. “And how do you feel about what the commander said?” 

“I’m not sure.” 

“Seven, we have to know… Are you in love with someone?” 

The room had ceased all movement, all breath, as they waited for her response. 

She held her hands a little tighter in her lap. “...Yes.” 

The audience gasped at her disclosure. 

“And this person that you love, are they in this building?” 

B’Elanna closed her eyes as she saw Seven struggle with herself. She opened her eyes remembering she needed to be strong for her. The blonde was waiting, making direct contact across the empty space. B’Elanna nodded. 

“Yes.” 

More gasps and some squeals of excitement went around the room. 

“That’s what I thought,” he leaned back in his chair slightly. “I was especially surprised by _who_ it is you love.” 

Seven frowned at him, unsure what he was insinuating. 

He gave her a dark smile before turning to the audience and cameras with a charming twinkle in his eye. “Do you want to know?” 

The audience cheered and rose to their feet, clapping and whistling. He laughed, then nodded and put a hand up. “Let’s go to the Spotlight Secret Cam!” 

  
  
  


Kathryn sat in the chair in her room, remaining perfectly still. Her hands clung to each other in her lap, her back slightly hunched. She knew there were bags under her eyes, she knew the whites of her eyes were speckled with red. Sleep had never come. She hadn’t eaten. She hadn’t said a word to anyone since the show the day before. Her breathing was steady—but not consistent, just like the muscle in her chest. 

Closing her eyes, she tried to calm her panicked thinking. There was no use in panicking, she thought. No matter what, Seven didn’t love her in the same way. She’d known that from the very start. But having to confess it to her, having to expose how stupid and wrong she’d been to Seven… That had been the most painful. Letting out a dejected breath, she slumped further against the uncomfortable chair. Hands slightly shaking, she turned her head up and looked on at the monitor. 

_“How are you feeling about what your Captain Janeway said?” Onev asked._

_“Angry.”_

Kathryn held in a sob and squeezed a pillow against her chest. 

_“Is that how you feel about Commander Chakotay as well?” Onev continued._

Kathryn peaked over the pillow at the monitor, forcing herself to watch.

_Seven finally answered. “No.”_

That was it. The captain was sure she now knew who her Astrometrics officer loved. The pain inside her chest grew and she squeezed the pillow harder, choking another sob into the rough fabric. 

_“And how do you feel about what the commander said?”_

_“I’m not sure.”_

_“Seven, we have to know… Do you love someone?”_

Kathryn’s heart beat loudly in her ears. She wasn’t sure she could take the answer. Positive she didn’t have a chance at Seven’s love, she hoped and prayed that the blonde didn’t love the commander. 

_Seven held her hands a little tighter in her lap._

Suddenly, it hit her. The way Seven was desperately trying to keep her composure…The way they’d put her on the spot… all for a few materials for the ship… Kathryn could deal with her shame, hide it away even from herself at times. But Seven had little experience. “Oh, Seven, I’m so sorry.” 

_“...Yes,” she answered Onev’s question._

_The audience gasped at the disclosure._

_“And this person that you love, are they in this building?”_

Kathryn set aside the pillow and moved to the monitor. She gently touched the staticy screen, putting a finger to Seven’s cheek and caressing the spot. “I’m so sorry, honey.” 

_“Yes.”_

_More gasps and some squeals of excitement went around the room._

Kathryn tuned it out as she looked on. How she felt, she would deal with it. She’d dealt with it for three years. She could deal with it the rest of her life. Anything was better than what they were doing to Seven, and in part, what she was doing to Seven.

_“That’s what I thought,” Onev leaned back in his chair slightly. “I was especially surprised by who it is you love.”_

_Seven frowned._

The change of tone brought her back to the scene on the monitor. She tilted her head as she listened to Onev and watched his snake-like smile.

_“Do you want to know?” Onev asked the camera. The audience cheered and rose to their feet, clapping and whistling. He laughed, then nodded and put a hand up. “Let’s go to the Spotlight Secret Cam!”_

B’Elanna stood just inside the room. 

“You were crying,” she offered quietly. 

Seven breathed. “Yes.” 

Cut To: 

B’Elanna sat beside Seven on the couch. She said with a smile, “anytime you 

need or want to talk, or shoot around ideas, or just complain, I’m here. You 

know where to find me.” 

“The same goes for you,” Seven replied. 

Cut To: 

“Have you ever kissed anyone?” B’Elanna asked quietly.

“B’Elanna?” Seven questioned.

Cut To: 

B’Elanna decidedly leaned forward, directly in front of Seven, put her hands 

on her shoulders and closed the space between them. Pressing her lips to 

Seven, she kissed her.

  
  


Kathryn gasped at the image as it was repeated in slower motion and a tighter scope. She tilted her head to the side, a few tears falling down her cheek. She was sure she’d never simultaneously hated someone and been as jealous as she was at that moment. B’Elanna had kissed her.

The show abruptly went to commercial and she turned it off.   
  
  


“What the hell was that!” Seven bellowed and flipped over her chair as she stood. Onev looked aptly terrified as he backed away and snapped at the guards. 

“How dare you do that!” Seven pushed forward toward him.

B’Elanna jumped over the small wall and hurried over to the escalating scene. She quickly pushed a guard away from the blonde, reaching her after she forcibly removed another. 

“Seven. Are you all right?” B’Elanna asked, a bit breathless. It was the second time in two days she’d seen tears in the stoic Ice Queen’s eyes. It was the last time she wanted to see them. Seven nodded and she turned around, keeping Seven behind her. 

“You keep cameras in the rooms!” She accused Onev. 

The crew effectively distracted the audience from the scene, giving away free merchandise. 

“That’s wrong!” B’Elanna shouted. Onev shrugged. 

“It’s television.” 

“You know as well as I do that none of what you showed happened like that!” 

“It could have,” Onev said nonchalantly, safe behind a few guards. 

“Yeah, I’ll bet. Come say that to my face.” 

“B’Elanna,” Seven interjected. 

“No! That scumbag just—”

“I know. Please.” 

B’Elanna turned to face her, hearing the certitude in her voice. 

“It is time. I must disclose how I feel.” 

B’Elanna shook her head vehemently. “No! He can’t just do whatever the hell he wants! He made Kathryn _and_ Chakotay admit things they never would otherwise! If this is about me, don’t worry about that. Tom knows that I love him. He knows this is a _sham!”_ She called behind her toward Onev. 

Putting her hands gently on the engineer’s shoulders, Seven gave her a small smile. “I am ready to disclose the information. I believe I will feel… relieved to express myself.” 

She kept shaking her head, “you don’t have to do this. We’ll find technology somewhere else. We’ll be okay. You don’t need to do this.” 

Seven gave her a bright smile and pulled her into a warm embrace. B’Elanna was surprised at the gentle embrace and hugged her back a little less roughly than she had before. 

Pulling away, Seven’s smile remained. “I’m ready.” 

“I’ll be right over there. Okay?” 

She nodded. “You are a good friend, B’Elanna.” 

“Hey, so are you.” She stopped and turned back, “just don’t tell anyone I said that.” 

Seven grinned, “your secret is safe.” 

B’Elanna winked and went back to her seat, hopping over the wall and making herself comfortable, amidst the clamoring audience for their free merchandise. 

The guards slowly dispersed as Onev studied the Borg. The tall blonde took in a few deep breaths, looking far more relaxed in her own skin and turning to him. She glided toward him, moving with grace, standing beside her chair that had been righted. 

“I am ready.” She held her head high. Sitting once more, she cleared her throat and ran her hands over her lap a few times before settling. 

Onev waved his finger in a circle and the crew began taking their places once more. The giveaway came to an end and they reset as they faded out of the extended clip reel playing on the live broadcast.

“Welcome back. We’re here with Seven of Nine. Seven,” Onev tentatively smiled, “it seems you have many people in your group that care deeply for you.” 

“I do,” she responded confidently. “I am lucky to have found the family I have. If it were not for _Voyager,_ and Captain Janeway, I would still be with the Borg.” 

“Instead we get to have you here!” He cheered. The audience laughed and clapped. 

B’Elanna frowned as she realized what had eluded her. The signs had been clear as day, had anyone stopped to look. How could she have been so dense? She quickly rose from her seat, unnoticed by Seven, and snuck around to the backstage door. 

She strode down the white hallway, noting the room where they’d watched Kathryn attempt to give her own life for her crew. She moved past it quickly and slid in front of another door. She knocked briefly before barging in. 

Kathryn sat on the couch with her face in a pillow, crying once more. She breathed hard, her sobs muted but obvious. B’Elanna shook her head. She carefully walked up to the Captain. She softly cleared her throat. 

The Captain jumped as she looked up over the pillow. She quickly wiped her eyes, trying to put on a neutral face. 

B’Elanna smiled. “You have to watch this.” 

Kathryn shook her head. “I ca—can’t.” She took a shuddered breath. 

“I know it’s hard, but you have to, Kathryn. For her.” 

Kathryn looked off into the distance. She’d seen many horrific things in her past. At least, as painful as it’d be, Seven would be happy. That was what mattered most. She nodded.

B’Elanna stood, “come on.” 

“What?” Kathryn frowned. “I thought you meant on the monitor…” 

She shook her head. “Please, Kathryn. As my friend, as Seven’s friend, I’m asking.” 

Another shuddered breath and a few tissues that she used to wipe her face, she followed B’Elanna down the white hallway. They came through the stage door and kept near the wall, just out of sight from the audience, and unnoticed by the crew. After the scuffle everyone focused on the drama onstage. 

“Seven,” Onev continued, “you said you were angry with your Captain. Why is that?” 

She looked at him for a few long moments, then looked out to the audience, and the cameras. “How would you feel,” she turned to Onev, “if you begged and begged for someone to refrain from hurting themselves and they didn’t listen?” 

“You’re talking about the scenario where your Captain was forced to choose between killing you or the commander.” An audioless clip played of the scene. “Captain Janeway decided instead to end her own life to save both of yours.” 

“Yes,” Seven nodded. 

“Well, I guess I’d feel pretty angry, too.” 

“How so?” Seven asked, turning the tables on him. 

He gave a little smirk to the camera. “Now who’s hosting?” They laughed and he turned back to the blonde. “Why don’t you tell us.” 

She nodded. “I do not remember much from my childhood, short as it was. However, my first friend aboard _Voyager_ was a young girl. She was a little older than I was when I was assimilated by the Borg. She has taught me very much. Children are sometimes sources of great wisdom.” 

The audience watched and listened intently, Onev and Kathryn included. 

“One day, Naomi asked me if I liked someone. I did not understand the context of her question. She was asking if I liked someone in a romantic way. Not realizing this, I told her that I liked the Captain.”

Onev leaned in slightly, as everyone seemed to do. 

“Naomi informed me that she had suspected as much. She then recounted the ways in which she believed my affection toward the Captain had been displayed. I did not understand how or what she meant at the time. It was a year later that I fully appreciated the conversation for what it was.” 

Coming to a full stop, Onev raised his eyebrows. “And?” 

“Do you love anyone?” She asked him. 

“Of course, don’t we all?” 

She nodded, “imagine you begged the person you love to refrain from ending their life. And then, before doing so, or attempting to do so, she said what you were sure you’d never hear? And,” Seven looked at her hands with a small frown, “the only way she was able to admit she cared for you was by the threat of her own demise. How would you feel?” 

Onev nodded. “Angry.” 

“Why?” 

He took in a deep breath, thinking, not seeming to notice or remember the audience and cameras watching him.

A throaty voice on the other side of Seven spoke as they stepped up onto the set. “I would be angry because the only reason she admitted her feelings were because she wouldn’t be alive. I would think that she was ashamed of her feelings, or of how she felt about me. I would feel cheated.” Kathryn spoke through her hoarse voice as some of the cameras and lights were pointed on her. 

Sitting still in her chair, Seven turned her head slightly away, gulping.

“I would be especially angry that even after she survived her attempted suicide, she wouldn’t look at me. It’d make me feel worthless. Like her words meant nothing. Like she would rather not face her own feelings. That she didn’t love me enough to see beyond herself.” Kathryn continued, walking closer at an incredibly slow and careful pace. 

The audience sat on the edge of their seats as the woman approached the angered blonde. 

Kathryn reached her, standing just to her side, looking down at Seven, who continued to keep her focus slightly away from her. “I would be very angry if she did that to me.” 

Seven nearly rolled her eyes. 

“And if I were in your shoes, I would tell her that she was an idiot.” 

Seven turned her head toward her, keeping her eyes down, slightly offended that anyone would call Kathryn an idiot, even if it were Kathryn herself. 

“I would have a thousands things to tell her about how dumb she’s been, how much she’s hurt me, how cowardly she’d been... And if I were the idiot… I would beg for a second chance, just as she had done. I would pray she was more forgiving than I. And I would do whatever was right for her, no matter what.” 

Kathryn slowly reached out her hand, tentatively landing her fingers just against Seven’s shoulder. “Most of all, I would tell her that I love her. Not because I’d been forced to, but because she deserves to hear it. I would put my fears aside to be honest with her. And I would agree that I’d been a total idiot.”

She let out a slow breath as she finished. Her hands still lightly on top of Seven’s shoulder, she wondered if the motionless blonde would give her the chance she hadn’t afforded Seven. 

The audience held their breath as every eye and lens was focused on Seven, Kathryn, and the tentative touch. 

“And,” Seven said roughly, surprised at her own emotions that bubbled up, “If I gave her a second chance…” she turned and looked directly into the Captain’s eyes. How she had missed the blue-grey irises and auburn hair. “If I gave her a second chance, what would she do?” 

A tiny smile formed at the corner of Kathryn’s mouth. “Anything. Anything, Seven.” She lowered herself onto her knees beside the blonde, her hands resting carefully on Seven’s knee. “I love you. Anything you need, I will… comply.” She gave her another small smile, hoping the tiny bit of humor would ease some of the tension.

Seven looked deep into the familiar eyes, noticing the bags and the specks of red. She’d been crying, that was obvious, she knew thanks to seeing Naomi after she cried. But even as she wanted to hang onto her anger, she could feel it slipping. Kathryn had just told her that she loved her. 

A hard pressed moment passed before a smile blossomed on Seven’s face and Kathryn smiled along with it. Leaning in slightly, Seven lowered her voice in a stage whisper, “I believe you are supposed to kiss me now.” 

A blush reddened Kathryn’s cheeks to Seven’s content, but she was soon overtaken by the Captain’s lips covering her own. Warm and soft, she wrapped her arms around her and stood them up. A quiet moan slipped from the Captain’s mouth and Seven swallowed it as if life had been breathed into her. 

She was sure the audience and Onev were reacting, were most likely clapping, but she couldn’t hear it. She only heard, felt and breathed Kathryn in her arms. 

“I’m so sorry, Seven,” Kathryn whispered as they slightly parted. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, honey.” 

“I know,” she responded. 

“We’ll take this as slow as you need, okay?” 

“No,” Seven responded. 

Kathryn raised her eyebrows in worry, her heart beginning to crumble. 

Seven smirked and yanked her closer. “We have moved slow enough.” 

Kathrryn barked a laugh, then accepted another burning kiss. 

******

Epilogue

  
  


Chakotay, B’Elanna, Kathryn, and Seven appeared in the transporter room, Kathryn’s arm wrapped around Seven’s waist. Tuvok and Tom waited for them, the latter grinning like a fool. 

He nodded at the Captain and Seven, and then turned his smile to B’Elanna. “You have some explaining to do.” 

She rolled her eyes, “come on flyboy.” She took his hand and pulled him away, giving Seven and the Captain a small smile before disappearing beyond the room. 

Tuvok raised an eyebrow before turning to the approaching Captain. 

“Thanks for holding down the fort,” she smiled. 

“I believe you are going to ask me to continue to do so for the time being.” 

Kathryn smiled, “just until tomorrow morning. Then I expect to take my ship back, if that works for you?” 

He nodded and bowed his head once. “Congratulations,” he said to both women. 

Seven blushed, though she noted, a little less than the Captain. “Thank you,” Seven replied for her. She slipped her hand into Kathryn’s and tugged her toward the door as she’d seen B’Elanna do. 

Tuvok once more raised his eyebrow as commander Chakotay approached him. 

Chakotay waited until the doors shut before grinning at the Vulcan and letting out a deep breath. “Well, that was _far_ more difficult than I thought it’d be.” 

Tuvok nodded. “Perhaps it would be better if you left out the plan from your report.” 

Chakotay laughed. “If Kathryn ever finds out we worked on this together…” 

They left the room together, Tuvok continuing, “perhaps we should save her that surprise for another… fifteen years should do.” 

“Deal,” Chakotay laughed once more. 


End file.
